H.R. No. 2371 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Proud residents of Lufkin are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Ellen Trout Zoo on June 17, 2017; and WHEREAS, In 1965, local businessman Walter W. Trout and the Lufkin Rotary Club proposed establishing a zoo that would feature the fauna of East Texas, but when Mr. Trout received a baby hippopotamus as a gift, the focus of the zoo shifted to include more exotic creatures; and WHEREAS, The zoo was officially opened on June 17, 1967, and named in honor of Mr. Trout's mother, with his granddaughter Barbara cutting the ribbon; in 1983, it became the fifth zoo in Texas to be accredited by the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, and the following year, the Friends of Ellen Trout Zoo was created to help the zoo promote conservation, acquire new animals, build new exhibits, and purchase equipment; and WHEREAS, Today, the Ellen Trout Zoo draws some 150,000 visitors each year from across East Texas and western Louisiana with the opportunity to see a variety of wild animals, including Maasai giraffes, southern white rhinoceroses, Malayan tigers, and the largest zoo colony of cotton-top tamarin monkeys in the United States; since 2002, the state-of-the-art Hippoquarium has allowed visitors to view the zoo's two hippos in a natural river setting; the zoo also features a miniature train, a fishing lake, a hiking trail, a playground, and picnic areas; and WHEREAS, More than 10,000 area students visit the facility each year to learn more about the natural world; in addition, the zoo is active in several important conservation efforts to help preserve and increase the populations of a variety of animals, including the Louisiana pine snake and the East Texas black bear, and it has also provided support to protect the Orinoco crocodile, the clouded leopard, jaguars, and other species whose survival is at risk; and WHEREAS, For half a century, the Ellen Trout Zoo has proven to be an invaluable cultural and educational resource, delighting residents and visitors alike with its unique collection of some of the world's most remarkable creatures; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Ellen Trout Zoo and extend to the zoo's staff, volunteers, and guests sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable celebration; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the Ellen Trout Zoo as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Ashby Straus Goldman Oliverson Straus Goldman Oliverson Straus Goldman Oliverson Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alvarado Gooden Parker Alvarado Gooden Parker Alvarado Gooden Parker Anchia Guerra Paul Anchia Guerra Paul Anchia Guerra Paul Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Arévalo Hefner Phillips Arévalo Hefner Phillips Arévalo Hefner Phillips Ashby Hernandez Pickett Ashby Hernandez Pickett Ashby Hernandez Pickett Bailes Herrero Price Bailes Herrero Price Bailes Herrero Price Bell Hinojosa Raney Bell Hinojosa Raney Bell Hinojosa Raney Bernal Holland Raymond Bernal Holland Raymond Bernal Holland Raymond Biedermann Howard Reynolds Biedermann Howard Reynolds Biedermann Howard Reynolds Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Bohac Hunter Roberts Bohac Hunter Roberts Bohac Hunter Roberts Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burrows Kacal Sanford Burrows Kacal Sanford Burrows Kacal Sanford Button Keough Schaefer Button Keough Schaefer Button Keough Schaefer Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Canales King of Parker Schubert Canales King of Parker Schubert Canales King of Parker Schubert Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Clardy Klick Sheffield Clardy Klick Sheffield Clardy Klick Sheffield Coleman Koop Shine Coleman Koop Shine Coleman Koop Shine Collier Krause Simmons Collier Krause Simmons Collier Krause Simmons Cook Kuempel Smithee Cook Kuempel Smithee Cook Kuempel Smithee Cortez Lambert Springer Cortez Lambert Springer Cortez Lambert Springer Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Craddick Lang Stickland Craddick Lang Stickland Craddick Lang Stickland Cyrier Larson Stucky Cyrier Larson Stucky Cyrier Larson Stucky Dale Laubenberg Swanson Dale Laubenberg Swanson Dale Laubenberg Swanson Darby Leach Thierry Darby Leach Thierry Darby Leach Thierry Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Deshotel Martinez Turner Deshotel Martinez Turner Deshotel Martinez Turner Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Elkins Miller Villalba Elkins Miller Villalba Elkins Miller Villalba Faircloth Minjarez Vo Faircloth Minjarez Vo Faircloth Minjarez Vo Fallon Moody Walle Fallon Moody Walle Fallon Moody Walle Farrar Morrison White Farrar Morrison White Farrar Morrison White Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Frank Murphy Workman Frank Murphy Workman Frank Murphy Workman Frullo Murr Wray Frullo Murr Wray Frullo Murr Wray Geren Neave Wu Geren Neave Wu Geren Neave Wu Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Giddings Oliveira Zerwas Giddings Oliveira Zerwas Giddings Oliveira Zerwas ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2371 was adopted by the House on May 25, 2017, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Straus Goldman Oliverson Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alvarado Gooden Parker Anchia Guerra Paul Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Arévalo Hefner Phillips Ashby Hernandez Pickett Bailes Herrero Price Bell Hinojosa Raney Bernal Holland Raymond Biedermann Howard Reynolds Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Bohac Hunter Roberts Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burrows Kacal Sanford Button Keough Schaefer Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Canales King of Parker Schubert Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Clardy Klick Sheffield Coleman Koop Shine Collier Krause Simmons Cook Kuempel Smithee Cortez Lambert Springer Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Craddick Lang Stickland Cyrier Larson Stucky Dale Laubenberg Swanson Darby Leach Thierry Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Deshotel Martinez Turner Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Elkins Miller Villalba Faircloth Minjarez Vo Fallon Moody Walle Farrar Morrison White Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Frank Murphy Workman Frullo Murr Wray Geren Neave Wu Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Giddings Oliveira Zerwas